The Defender
by WillowwindTheCat
Summary: An AU story in which Johnny and Dallas don't die. A wolf-dog with no name happens to stumble across The Socs attacking Johnny and Ponyboy,and she's not too happy about it.So,she helps the Greasers out.Then,she realizes that dogs were like Greasers and Socs as well,and forms a gang to defend the Greasers.But what happens when this wolf-dog gets taken by the enemy?
1. Chapter 1

**_Summary: A nameless wolf-dog finds Johnnycake and Ponyboy cornered by the Socs, and she decides to do something about it. I don't own The Outsiders! (Note!: Johnny and Dallas don't die!)_**

**_Part 1_**

No-name was her name. The mud-colored wolf-dog trotted through the dark park with a lolling tongue. Boy, was she thirsty! No-name spotted a fountain with crystal clear water flowing from it. She snapped her jaws rapidly. She wanted that water. With silent paw-steps, No-name rushed over to the fountain and lowered her muzzle into the water. It felt so nice and cold on her nose, and she wagged her bushy tail. Nothing could disturb her peace...or, so she thought. She heard voices, human voices. She looked up with an angry whine. Two guys were walking towards the fountain. No-name crouched low, so they wouldn't see her. She had seen those boys before. They called themselves Ponyboy and Johnnycake. They were strange names, but No-name wasn't better. These boys were known as Greasers, for their hair was greasy and they didn't have much money. The richer folk were Socs.

The smell of burnt rubber filled her nose. A car was near-by. No-name peered into the darkness. It was a shiny and fancy car, and that meant only one thing: Socs! The wolf-dog cursed mentally, for she couldn't speak. She knew that Socs gave Greasers a hard time. She had to protect Ponyboy and Johnnycake! But first...she had to wait...

"You know what Greasers are? White trash with greasy hair."She heard a Soc say. It set a fire in her veins. How dare they!

"You know what Socs are? White trash with fancy mustangs."Ponyboy shot back smartly. No-name nodded. That was very clever. Suddenly, she heard yelling and the sound of splashing water. She peered over the white stone of the fountain and saw that the Socs were trying to drown Ponyboy! She knew now that she had to act. She bared her fangs and leapt over the man-made structure with a hideous bark. Before anyone could react, the nameless wolf-dog grabbed the Soc who was drowning Ponyboy by the back of his shirt. The Soc grunted as he was pulled backwards by the canine.

"Hey, knock it off!"Another Soc shouted, giving No-name a swift kick to the side. The canine whimpered in pain, and grew dangerously angry. She jumped again, slamming into the first Soc, and throwing him onto the ground. Ponyboy got back to the surface and gasped for air. No-name turned to the Greaser with a look of concern. But once she did, the fallen Soc pulled out his switchblade and slashed at her. She let out a squeal as blood poured from the back of her neck.

The Socs then stared to overpower No-name, Johnnycake and Ponyboy. The canine bared her teeth at them. With more barks, she raced at them and caught one of the Socs right in the thigh. He fell to the ground with a yell. A kick was aimed at her, but she side-stepped it and clawed the culprit's fancy shirt. She climbed up onto the Soc and knocked him down. No-name bit down hard on his collarbone, causing him to faint. The other Socs gasped in fear.

"Let's get out of here..."Bob said. He glared at the Greasers. "You won't get away with this."They quickly raced off. But No-name was far from done. As the Socs got into their car, the angry hybrid pounced onto it and raked her claws across the paint. Hideous streaks formed on the Mustang. The Socs yelled and cursed. The car was ruined! No-name gave them a devious grin, and jumped on the hood as they backed up the car. With a twist of her head, one of the rear-view mirrors was broken off. Satisfied with her work, No-name jumped off and raced back towards the Greasers. The Mustang sped off. Ponyboy was still gasping for breath, and Johnnycake had a hand to his back, trying to rid him of the water in his lungs. Both Greasers looked up at the wolf-dog as she came closer. She sniffed at them and made a whining noise. Was Ponyboy OK? She tilted her head to the side. She inched closer, and pressed her head into his chest. Ponyboy gave her a weak chuckle.

"Thanks. You saved my life."He said, extending a hand, which the canine sniffed with her large wet nose. No-name flinched when his hand slowly touched her forehead, but other than that, she did not move. She wagged her tail. He was alright.

"Where'd you come from anyway? Never seen you around here before."Pony continued. Johnny only stared at the canine intensely.

"Maybe we should keep her with us, incase those Socs come back."He suggested. He slowly gave No-name a small pat on the shoulder. Pony nodded in agreement.

"She's quite the fighter. What'll we call her?"Pony asked. "She should have a name that's tuff."Johnny and Pony took a moment to think. The nameless hybrid waited patiently.

"Let's call her Vandal."


	2. Chapter 2

_**Part 2**_

3 nights after the events near the fountain, Vandal started to think. Bob said that the Greasers would pay, and because she attacked them, she was a Greaser...A Greaser Dog! Vandal pranced throughout the streets pondering the topic. What was a Greaser Dog anyway? Dogs don't wear grease. But despite that, both Greaser humans and Greaser Dogs had tough lives. Plus, they cared for their family, unlike Soc humans and Soc Dogs, which Vandal was sure existed. The brown-furred beast sat in an ally, hiding from the setting sun. She really wished her new human friends could be with her, but Ponyboy got in serious trouble with his older brothers, and Johnny was at his house at the moment. But she was happy, for she would have no encounters with Socs. She closed her eyes, and tried to get some sleep, but she was harshly snapped at by someone.

"Who dares enter this territory? No Soc Dogs allowed!" The voice snapped. Vandal opened her eyes and looked up. Before her stood a pretty female Border Collie, who had a yellow puppy flanking her. The Collie's pale yellow eyes narrowed.

"Begone Social Dog!" The collie shouted again. Vandal stood up. She towered over the Collie.

"I am no Social Dog...never was one...and never will be." She muttered. The collie bitch gave Vandal a glare.

"Then what ARE you?" she commanded.

"I am a Greaser Dog," Vandal replied. The collie bitch and her pup scoffed.

"Only humans are Greasers," said the collie.

"If there can be Soc Dogs, then there can be Greaser Dogs," Vandal said smartly. The collie bitch blinked. Vandal had a point. The collie backed down. Vandal made a "hmph" sound to show her pride in being correct.

"My apologies fellow Greaser," the collie whimpered. "I didn't know that Greaser Dogs were real. In fact, I never thought that a dog would be amount anything in this world." Vandal scoffed.

"That is not true." Vandal said sternly. "We are Greaser Dogs for a reason. We care about our families and friends, unlike Socs. Socs only care about money and power. But if we Greaser Dogs do something about it, we can beat the enemy." The collie gave her pup a glance.

"My name is Mary," the collie said. "And this is my puppy, Benjamin. We live in an abandoned shed near the theater. A pack of other dogs live with us. We're all strays."

"Not just strays," Vandal corrected. "You're all Greasers as well. You don't live with the Socs, so you must be Greasers." Mary nodded her head.

"Please, won't you join us for supper?" Mary asked. "We've gathered bones, old popcorn, and pieces of hot dog buns. It's nothing fancy, but it's a meal." Vandal smiled, and dipped her head politely.

"I'd love to join you for supper," she started. "But I must bring food of my own to share. It's the polite thing to do."

"Oh, no, that's quite alright," Mary said. But Vandal turned, hopped into a near-by dumpster, and dug around until she found something edible: corn cobs, a few pieces of cheese, and some burnt steak. She threw it out of the dumpster, stood before Mary.

"I hope this will do," Vandal said. Mary nodded her head, and grabbed the cheese in her mouth. Her son grabbed the steak. Vandal herself got the corn cobs. Then, the three left the ally, and down the street. The orange sky started to turn a rich dark blue. It wasn't long until the dogs made it to an old shed. The theater near-by was filled with people and cars. The dogs went into the shed. There was a small pack of dogs inside of the shed. It was a bit difficult to see them in the dark, but the moonlight provided just enough for Vandal to see who she was dining with. Mary and Benjamin placed the cheese and steak down on the ground near the other scraps. Vandal placed the corn cobs down as well. The pack of strays gave Vandal a strange look.

"Calm down, my friends," Mary said to the others. "This is Vandal. She lives in town, and I thought it would have been nice if she join us for dinner. She has even brought food to share." It was then that the other dogs wagged their tails, seeing that Vandal was a friend. They scooted aside to give the guest a seat. Vandal sat in between a chocolate Labradoodle and a black Husky. The Husky cackled, and whispered with an aging voice,

"Where you from, young'un?"

"I've lived in this town my whole life," Vandal replied. "I just ain't used to meeting other dogs like this,"

"A pretty thing like you could use a mate,"

"I'm not looking to get married, ma'am"

"Well, you certainly look like a bitch that has all the males after her tail," said the Husky. "I should know. I used to be a young pretty bitch whose tail shakes brought all the males to the yard."

"You don't look very old at all, ma'am," Vandal said respectfully. The Husky smiled at her, and nibbled her ear playfully. Things grew quiet as everyone started to eat. The sound of the theater broke the silence. Suddenly, a little puppy spoke.

"Ms. Vandal, is it true that you're a Greaser Dog?" it squeaked. Everyone stared at Vandal intensely. But Vandal was calm.

"We're all Greaser Dogs, pup," Vandal explained. "Have any of you ever been owned by a Soc? Have any of you ever lived the fancy life?" The other dogs shook their heads.

"I thought not," said Vandal. "We are all Greasers in a way. And I'm sure we all hate Socs." The other dogs nodded furiously.

"I once saw a Soc throw out a whole turkey leg," said a young male. "Sure I had a decent meal that night, but it was so wasteful of that Soc to throw something so delicious out like that. Socs take everything for granted." Everyone barked in agreement.

"I'd rather starve than eat something that a human could have eaten," Mary shouted. "I say, we should teach those Socs a lesson, and Vandal should be our leader!"

"Me?" Vandal said in surprise. "A leader?"

"Of course!" Mary exclaimed. "You've been in this neighborhood since forever. I'm sure you know the way around." Vandal scraped the wooden floor with her claws. She did in fact know her way around the neighborhood, but leader of a pack of Greaser Dogs? She hadn't been around another dog ever since puppyhood. How could she do this?

"I'm not sure if I am leader material," Vandal admitted.

"Oh, but please!" Benjamin whimpered. Vandal sighed.

"Alright, I'll see what I can do," said Vandal. "Meet me here tommarow night, all of you."


	3. Chapter 3

_**Part 3**_

The next day passed quickly...too quickly for Vandal's liking. She was too worried about becoming a leader to focus on a plan for fighting the Socs. The moon had risen, and surely, the Greaser dogs were already at the shed. Vandal had been resting in the park all day, hanging near the fountain, but her heart pounded furiously when the day became night. She had to go to the shed. She swallowed fearfully. She hoped that a plan would come to her while she walked. She left the fountain, and started to stalk down the sidewalk. No plans would come to Vandal, to her dismay.

"Ah, come on!" she said to herself. "You can do this, Vandal...for the Greasers, the Greaser Dogs, and for you. Everything's gonna be alright. Ponyboy called you tuff, remember? Be tuff."

Vandal walked on,slightly reassured. But she hadn't realized that she passed a certain house.

"Vandal?" said a familiar voice, causing the wolf-dog to turn. It was Ponyboy!

With an excited flick of her bushy tail, Vandal ran up to him, and jumped on him. She placed her huge paws on his chest, and licked his face. Pony chuckled.

"Ok, ok, girl, I'm happy to see you, too," he said between each lick Vandal gave him. "Down, now."

Vandal got down, and whined happily. Pony gave her a little pat on the head.

"Pony!" another voice called. "Who's that?"

Another boy, pretty much a man, stepped outside. He appeared older than Ponyboy. Vandal sniffed at him. He looked like a Greaser. That made him a friend.

"This is the dog from the fountain, Darry," Pony explained to the other Greaser. "The one that saved my life."

Darry looked down at Vandal. Vandal looked at him. Her orange eyes stared deep into his. Darry knelt down, and slowly raised a hand, which Vandal sniffed and licked.

"So this is Vandal, huh?" Darry whispered, still staring at the wolf-dog. "She ain't as vicious as you decribed her."

"You should've seen how she handled those Socs, though," Pony replied. "She was rippin' and tearin' like crazy. Darry, she's a tuff dog. I think we should keep her, you know, like a bodyguard."

Darry looked back at Pony with a serious look.

"You know you're still grounded from the incident, right?" he said. Ponyboy sighed.

"You said I was grounded for a week," Pony explained. "It's been four days. I should have some freedoms now?"

" But a dog!" exclaimed Darry. "We're already not doing so well as it is. How can we take care of a dog this big!?"

"Look at the muscles on her!"Pony argued. "She's been taking care of herself! We can leave a bowl of water for her and give her a snack now and then, but she's taking care of herself. She can be like, a guard dog for the gang. We won't have to spend any money on her."

Darry furrowed his brow in thought. Vandal, who had been listening to their conversation, grew a bit worried. It was growing darker and darker outside. The Greaser Dogs would start to get worried...

"Alright,"Darry sighed. "We'll let her hang around for protection for you and the rest of the group."

A smile grew on Ponyboy's face, and he gave Darry a hug. Darry rolled his eyes, but also smiled.

"Ok, you go on back inside, and get to bed," Darry ordered.

Pony nodded, and went into the house. Darry looked at Vandal again, and Vandal looked right back. The Greaser's hand patted her head.

"Take care of Pony,ok?" he told the canine.

Vandal's eyes widened. It touched her just how loving he was for the younger Greaser. She licked his nose, and wagged her tail. This caused Darry to give her a small chuckle. With that, the man went back into his domain. Vandal looked at the house once more before turning her attention back to the meeting with the Greaser Dogs. Her worries about a good plan came back to her. But then, she remembered the night at the fountain. She remembered the Mustang the Socs rode in. She remembered... her vandalizing said Mustang...She smirked. It gave her an idea...


	4. Chapter 4

_**Part 4**_

"Our leader, Vandal, has arrived!" Mary annouced when Vandal finally slipped in the shed. The Greaser Dogs barked and howled in excitement. But it only made Vandal flinch, and look awa from them. She was embarrased about being so late, and being a leader still didn't sit well with her just yet.

"Comrades, my apologies for being late," Vandal muttered. "It won't happen again."

"Oh, don't worry about it, ma'am," an adolecent pup spoke up. "You're here, and that's all that matters.

Vandal felt warm under her pelt. The pack was really devoted to her. She should be glad because of it. Attempting to look proud, Vandal gracefully stepped in the middle of the gathering of dogs, and cleared her throat. The Greaser Dogs paid close attention. And with the voice of an expert, Vandal began.

"My friends," she started. "4 days ago, I witnissed the Socs brutally attack a Greaser named Ponyboy."

The pack gasped and murmured to themselves about their disapproval of such vile behavior.

"Yes, comrades, it is horrid what they did," Vandal said in agreement. "But, it wasn't all bad. I happened to be there, and I stepped in to fight the Socs. And my actions that night gave me some ideas. First, we must keep watch on all the Greasers in the neighborhood, so that if any Soc attacks them, we shall be there to protect them. We shall be their guard dogs, and the Socs will fear us. Also, I happened to notice that the Socs cherish their cars. They paint them with such stunning colors and hate when they get ruined. So I decided that if we attack their cars, it will crush their spirits. They will know the pain that the Greasers feel!"

As Vandal spoke, her chest puffed with pride, and her voice boomed louder as she added more feeling into her words. Her comrades howled, agreeing with her words. Tears began to spring from Vandal's eyes in the heat of the moment. She took a few deep breaths to calm herself.

"Dogs," Vandal whispered finally. "We are the Greaser Humans' only hope of finding peace."

Vandal sat down and panted, calming herself further. At this point, Mary stepped forward.

"All in favor for our leader's plans?" she said, still in awe from the speech.

Every dog raised his or her paw into the air. The plans were approved of.

"When shall we begin to take action?" One mutt asked.

"Starting tomarrow, late in the morning," Vandsl replied. "I have to check on the Greaser I protected. He wants me to protect the rest of his gang, and that's what I intend on doing. We shall assign the guarding groups in the evening,after we gather some dinner. I must go now. I'm tired,and I must clear my head."

Vandal started to exit the shed, when she heard little puppy Benjamin say,"God bless you, Miss Vandal..."

Vandal looked back, and gave the pup a small smile, before finally leaving, and vanishing into the night.


	5. Chapter 5

_**Part 5**_

Vandal passed out in some bushes near the road that night. Her weariness was unlike any other she had felt before in her life. She had really put all her emotions into her speech. She couldn't help it...the Socs caused her problems before...

_The wee pup sniffled. The dark, lifeless eyes of her once living human stared up at her. The Socs had long gone, satified with their work. A few tears slowly fell from the pup's eyes. "Gummy...please...get up..." the little brown puppy whispered. But the girl...the Greaser girl...never got up. She simply stared with eyes that lost their shine._

Vandal's eyes snapped open. They were already moist with tears. The Socs had brought her such pain in her past. This battle between them was much more personal to her...

The sun's rays poked over the horizon, same as every morning. But this morning was the start of Vandal's Greaser protection mission. And first on her list, was Ponyboy. With a wagging tail, Vandal headed back to the house from last night. It didn't take her long, and when she arrived, she saw the boy walking out of the house. Her heart pounded with excitement, and she let out a few barks to get his attention. Pony looked up, and a smiled immediately appeared on his face.

"Hi, girl," he greeted, as Vandal slowly walked up to him. "I'm glad I got to see you before school."

Vandal rubbed his legs with her head. She wanted to accompany him on his walk. She then walked behind him,and pushed him gently, so he could move.

"Oh, you wanna walk with me?" Pony asked.

Vandal wagged her tail in reply.

"Ok, come on," Pony beckoned Vandal to follow him.

Vandal followed him, loyalty and devotion in her heart. She licked at Pony's hand. causing him to chuckle. They were both silent as they walked, and within minutes, they had arrived to the building that was Pony's school. Pony walked up to the building, with Vandal following close behind. She looked at other teenagers, trying to pick out the Socs from the Greasers. But she spotted another familiar face, a Greaser face to be exact. Her tail wagged faster. Johnnycake! Vandal yipped a little,causing Pony to turn around. He soon saw Johnny as well.

"Hey,Johnny,"he called.

The dark-haired Greaser looked up when his name was called, and dared to let a small smile appear on his face. He walked over to Pony and Vandal's sides.

"Hi, Pony," he replied quietly. He looked down and petted Vandal. "Hi Vandal. How ya doin'?"

Vandal stopped and playfully rolled on her back,exposing her tummy. She wanted to be rubbed.

"Sorry, girl," Johnny said sadly. "We can't play now. We gotta get to class. But we'll see you later, ok?"

Vandal watched as the Greasers rushed into the school. She whimpered, for she knew she wouldn't be aloud to follow them inside. Dogs were forbidden in schools. She turned, and prepared to walk away, passing other humans. But her eyes happened to catch a familiar object: A blue mustang. It still had the scratch marks, and the broken mirror. Vandal snarled dangerously. It was _them_!

The car door opened, and a Soc came out: Bob. Bob stopped and stared at Vandal. Vandal glared back. Her lips curled back in a snarl, exposing yellowish teeth. Bob slowly reached back into the car, and pulled out a baseball bat. Vandal lashed her tail. His weapons didn't frighten her. Hatred bubbled in her veins, but she didn't attack. It would only cause more trouble. She already knew that the Socs would try to attack the Greasers in the school. With a snort, she stalked away.


	6. Chapter 6

_**Part 6**_

"Hello, comrades," said Vandal as she entered the shed once again.

"Greetings, Alpha Dog," most of the dogs replied. The smaller puppies said, "Hello, Ma'am,"

"I'm glad you're all here," said Vandal. "Now, we must run through our plans as Greaser guard dogs."  
Vandal went to the center of the pack. Everyone's eyes were locked on her. Vandal cleared her throat, and began to speak.

"Alright," she began calmly. "I have observed human activity for a while. The young Socs and the Greasers go to a place called 'school' to learn how to be adults. We dogs are not aloud inside, making it futile to attempt to go in and try protecting them that way. But, I've also noticed that not all of them go school, even if it is mandatory that they go, and some of them leave school, to work on the streets. Ponyboy, the boy I rescued, goes to school, along with a friend of his, named Johnnycake. The amount of time a human spends in school is about 7 or 8 hours, I believe. So, for that time, we will have groups of dogs patrolling the alleys for the Greasers who don't attend school. They, like other Greasers, must be protected, even if they are rule-breakers. And besides, what they don't learn in school, they learn on the streets, like us dogs."

Vandal heard murmurs of agreement, and it pleased her. She took a breath, and began again.

"As for the Socs and Greasers at school, we shall post guards to watch the school before all the humans arrive, and and as the humans begin leaving," she continued. "I will personally check on the school, and come back to get the patrols. We'll watch from afar, to ward off any suspicion. Now, let's talk about patrols."

Vandal noticed Mary's ears flick expectantly, and she chuckled.

"I see you, there, Mary," said Vandal. "You can be in charge of a patrol, and you may pick out some dogs. Do this now."

Immediately, Mary stood up, and went around the pack, stopping near dogs she believed were good enough for her patrol. She collected 4 dogs, leaving about 18 more. Vandal placed the remaining dogs in equal groups of 3. Benjamin, Mary's son, piped up.

"But what about us?" he squeaked. "We wanna help!"

The small throng of pups within the pack added in their complaints, causing several of the adults to roll their eyes. Mary stared down at the pup.

"Benjamin!" she scolded.

Vandal only chuckled. She admired Benjamin's determination.

"It's all right, Mary," she said with a wagging tail. "The young ones will have a part to play in our plan. We will need to train them to follow in our ways. We will teach them to guard, and how to be loyal to the Greasers alone. They will be our Greaser Pups."

Benjamin and the other pups cheered excitedly. Mary gave her puppy a lick in between his ears.

"Dogs," Vandal annouced to the pack. "Let's begin."

With that, the pack of Greaser Dogs rushed out of the abandoned shed, and split up around the neighborhood, watching and guarding.


	7. Chapter 7

Vandal's plan worked for a while. The amount of attacks on Greasers started to lower. The Greaser Dogs were so proud of themselves for their work. The weeks went on. Vandal finally felt as if she was becoming something. He socializing with the other dogs increased. She became well known by the humans for being such a great guard dog. Everything was perfect for a while….but then came the fire….

It was one night, and Vandal couldn't sleep, even in the warmth of her comrades at their abandoned shed hideout. She slipped out quietly, her eyes weary. She just didn't feel right. Something bad was going to happen. Vandal passed the movie theater. People were there. Some didn't take much notice to her, but those that did gave her small bits of popcorn. She ate the snack gratefully, but wasn't all that hungry.

Her paws hit the cold sidewalk, and the sounds of the night echoed in her ears. She was silent. She wasn't sure where she was going exactly, but she was going. She found herself in the wandering to the entrance of an almost empty lot. Her head lifted up, and looked into the lot, seeing a couch. A figure was lying on it. Vandal tilted her head, and came closer, cautiously. Then figure became more and more familiar. It was Johnnycake. But what was he doing out here? She let out a small whimper. Johnny's eyes suddenly shot open, and stared at Vandal. They seemed to be terrified, but soon softened.

"Vandal," he said gently, as he sat up. "Hey, girl. How've you been?" His hand rubbed her head.

Vandal wagged her tail. She wasn't the only one up. Her tongue swiped across his hand.

Johnnycake chuckled a bit.

"Sorry girl," he said. "I don't have any food."

That was ok with Vandal. She hopped onto the couch, and lied next to him. She rolled on the back. Johnny petted her tummy with a small smile. Things were quiet for a while, before Johnny let out a sigh and rested his head in his hands. Vandal sensed that he was in distress, but not in a way that she could physically help him. This made her sad, and she licked his head in hopes to cheer him up. She could hear Johnny sob gently, and she felt even more useless. She whimpered, her ears flattening against her head. She looked away and listened to Johnnycake as he cried. But her nose began to quiver, and she heard the sound of a car coming to a halt nearby. Her nose was filled with the scent of kerosene. She froze. She knew how flammable that stuff was. She looked at Johnny with worried, wide eyes. She let out an urgent yip to alert him. The smell grew stronger. A light appeared from around the corner and flashed in Vandal's eyes. A few figures came closer. Johnny looked up at the light, and stands up. His hand reaches to his pocket, pulling out his switchblade. But then, the pair was rushed at by a group of young men. Vandal recognized them by their scent. Socs! Her lips curled back and she rushed at them. A swift kick is aimed at her jaw, and she is pushed back. Despite the pain, she attacks again, catching one of them by the ankle. Meanwhile, Johnny was advanced on by some other Socs, who douse the lot with the kerosene. Then there's the strike of a match. Flames suddenly jump into the air, eating the lot. The Socs managed to get away, leaving the place ruined. Johnny stared in terror at the flames, and dashed to the entrance to the lot. Vandal came to his side, spitting out blood. She couldn't believe her eyes. The Socials dared to wreck a piece of Greaser territory…her territory! She angrily glared into the flames. She hadn't noticed people coming to put the flames out. The only thing on her mind now…was revenge…


	8. Chapter 8

_**Part 8**_

(This is for you,Silver wolf!)

Vandal stood before the pack of Greaser Dogs the next morning. Behind her was empty, and scorched lot. The dogs, who had been told of what happened, stood before their leader, anger fuming within them.

"Do you know who is responsible for this?" asked Vandal quietly, her eyes on the ground.

The dogs knew the answer to this question, but no one said anything.

"Do you know who had trespassed here, and destroyed our territory?" Vadal continued. Suddenly, her head shot up, her eyes glowing dangerously. "THE SOCS! Those criminal wretches have destroyed part of Greaser turf."

The Greaser Dogs roared their agreements.

"Dogs," Vandal said when they had quieted down. "We shall take our revenge. We shall go to the Socs' turf, and we shall destroy their property. And I think I know the very thing…."

"The whole damn place bursted into flames," Dallas, who happened to see the fire the previous night, explained to Darry, Sodapop, and Ponyboy later that afternoon.

The whole gang had joined up at Darry's house. Vandal was also there, as she was unofficially a member of the gang. Vandal felt the anger bubbling her blood as Dallas retold the horrible story to those who had not been witnesses.

"It was good that Vandal was there," Johnny murmured, petting the wolf-dog's fur. "Those Socs could have beat me senseless."

Vandal reached up and swiped her tongue across Johnny's hand, a whimper in the back of her throat.

"Here, girl," Pony said, tossing Vandal a the last piece of a sandwich he had been eating.

Vandal ate it, but wasn't very enthusiastic about it. She got up from her spot beside Johnny, and walked to a window. She saw Mary and her patrol of dogs walk by. Vandal ran through her plan once more in her head.

"Don't worry, my humans," she murmured to herself. "I'll fix this. I'll make the Socs pay for what they did."

To the gang, all they could hear was Vandal growling.

"What's with her?" asked Two-bit.

"She's probably still mad from last night," Johnny replied.

"Oh, yes, Johnny," Vandal replied. "That's what fuels my anger now. They will pay. THEY WILL PAY!"

In the humans' ears, Vandal was barking wildly.

"Hush, Vandal," Darry commanded.

"Sorry," Vandal thought in her head.

The night arrived. Vandal rejoined her comrades. It was time to strike Soc turf. They left the shed, pass the theater, and into the streets. They let out fierce barks, causing people to look out of their windows. Many were surprised to see such a pack. Vandal took the lead, of course. The scenery began to change. The houses began to look more and more like those that rich people owned. Vandal led her dogs to a clothing shop, where the best clothes in town could be bought. The Socs loved to buy clothes and even jewelry from this joint. Destroying its contents would be just delicious revenge. Vandal stood near the shop's windows. Then, she let out a shrill howl. Immediately, the dogs rushed at the windows and smashed through the glass. A blaring alarm went off. The dogs rushed in, claws and fangs ready. They began to shred the fancy and expensive garments. Jewelry was broken and scattered about. The puppies pretended to be Socs, mocking them harshly.

"Look at me!" Benjamin said, slipping a shred of clothing over his back. "I'm so rich and can afford fancy stuff! I'm also a dummy!"

This went on until the police arrived to investigate. The store manager broke down into tears when he saw that all his merchandise was destroyed. The dog catcher was called to round up the dogs. But the Greaser Dogs were too fast for them… well, almost all of them. Vandal herself stayed behind, standing before the humans and crying, "Down with the Socs!"

But little did she know that the dog catcher was equipped with tranquilizer guns. He got them from his truck, aimed at the unsuspecting wolf-dog, and shot.

Vandal jumped with a squeal at the pain. But soon, began to feel so… tired… Her great body teetered, and then fell to the ground.

"Vandal!" Mary cried, returning to her leader.

"No…go…away…from…here…."Vandal slurred. "I'll…come…to….you….Take others…and…go…."

Vandal's eyes fell closed, the drugs taking affect.


	9. Chapter 9

_**Part 9**_

(BTW, just like another fanfics I'm writing, Vandal will also be in a novel I plan on writing that has nothing to do with The Outsiders. It'll be called "Blood Of My Heart." I just didn't want anyone freaking out about plagiarism, because I know this story is well-liked.)

Vandal's eyes slowly began to open. She sat up, but her head hit the top of a cage. Wincing and growling, she lowered herself into a lying position. It had been a few days since she had been put in the pound. Her blood boiled on the inside. Here she was, locked up and helpless, while her dogs were without their leader. And the thought of the Socs beating up her Greaser comrades made her blood turn into lava. When she was given food, she only glared at it. She was not going to have her food handed to her. She was a strong female, not some dependent fool. Escape wasn't an option, though. She was unconscious when they brought her in, so she wasn't sure of how the pound's interior looked, even if she had found a way to get out of her cage. But today…Vandal got out…but she wasn't freed.

It was Bob, that Soc who was with the others that night at the fountain…the one who owned the car she messed up. When he showed up, smiling evilly at Vandal in her cage, Vandal thought she'd throw up. It turned out that Bob adopted her, and now he was going to take her home. The pound workers began pulling her from the cage and putting a leash and collar on her. Vandal struggled, whimpering wildly. She didn't want this; she didn't want Bob. But, the workers managed to get her outside and into Bob's car. Vandal huddled in the front seat, shivering slightly. Bob got in the driver's seat, and looked over at Vandal.

"You're mine now," he said sinisterly. "You've caused me and my friends a lot of trouble. But, you'll make up for it when I'm done with you."

Vandal snarled, but Bob only gave her a smack on the head. Vandal whimpered.

"Not so tough without your friends, huh?" Bob sneered.

Vandal responded by urinating on the seat. Bob hit her across the head with an empty bottle of liquor.

"Behave, mutt," Bob spat. "Or I'll stab you."

Vandal was afraid. Not from his threat; she didn't fear knives, but that fact that Bob was going to use her for doing the very thing she didn't want to do: hurt her comrades. And they'd beat her for disobeying. Vandal turned her head, and watched as her home started to vanish into a rich looking neighborhood. She'd face through it. She'd have to in order to get home.

* * *

Days passed. Vandal was growing weaker and weaker by the minute. Her defiance was going to get her killed. She continued to refuse to eat, causing her powerful, bulky body to become emaciated and thin. Her shining eyes turned dull and pale. She attempted to find food from the trash to eat, but Bob had his friends take the trash so she couldn't feed. They soiled the water that she tried to drink in the streets. They would break the wild out of her. They just knew it. Vandal began to forget; as much as she didn't want to, she did. The Greaser life was beginning to fade. She was surrounded with such a luxurious life, that she was starting to succumb to the temptation. Finally, she gave in. She ate a plumb steak one morning that tasted like the heavens. This was what the good life really was! Vandal ate more, and grew drunk off the rich taste. Bob knew that he was getting what he wanted now. He had her rations cut, arranging a bargain with her. She could eat, if she fought the Greasers. So, Bob and his friends drove out to Greaser turf with a new and "improved" Vandal. Her eyes shimmered with the corruption. She was ready for Greaser blood on her fangs.

* * *

Ponyboy , Johnny, and the gang, heading to the theater for another movie. Once again, they had ran into Cheery, a Soc, and brought her with them. They weren't afraid of the Socs attacking them; Vandal would fight them. Not tonight. Bob's car pulled up beside them, and the Socs stepped out.

"Well, well, well," Bob said with a hiss. "Some filthy Greasers are getting their dirty mitts on my girl again."

"Calm down, Soc," said Two-Bit with confidence. "We're just hanging out."

"I don't think so," said Bob dangerously.

"Bob, don't do this," Cherry pleaded, but was shoved aside by Bob.

"We won't be fighting you alone this time," Bob announced.

With a sharp whistle from Bob, Vandal stepped out of the car, blind to the past, and only seeing them as Bob's enemies. The Greasers were in shock. Vandal!? Their defender and friend!? Helping Socs!?

"Vandal…?" whispered Ponyboy.

Vandal hissed at Ponyboy, and snapped her fangs at him. Darry stepped in front of his brother and kicked at the traitorous wolf-dog. Vandal took a blow to the jaw, and that really set her off. She wildly bit down on Darry's ankle, tasting blood and crushing bone. With a cry, Darry and the others tried to pull her off, by Vandal's bite only got tighter and tighter. She twisted her head and Darry's ankle was broken. Darry fell to the ground, gritting his teeth in pain. Vandal then glared at Ponyboy. She attacked, and pinned him down. Her teeth were aimed at his neck…

"Bob, call her off, please!" Cherry begged, gripping Bobs\'s arm.

"Quiet!" Bob ordered, flinging her off.

This caught Vandal's attention at the nick of time. She turned and had a good look at Cherry for the first time. Her eyes widened. Red hair…Why was that so familiar? Vandal looked at her closer. Suddenly, a memory of her past returned to her. A girl named Gummy…Vandal's mouth fell open. The memories began to come back to her. The Socs were her enemy! The Greasers were her friends! She looked into Ponyboy's fearful eyes, and suddenly ran away. She needed to go, now. She was a traitor to her Cause, to her friends, to all Greasers.

* * *

The memory of Kit-Kat played again in Vandal's mind as she pondered in a lone alley. How could Vandal betray the very reason she hated the Socs in the first place!? Vandal felt her eyes moisten, as the memory played again…

_"Come here, Piggy!" called 14 year old Gummy, a little redheaded girl with a cheerful personality despite her family's financial issues._

_ The little pup Vandal, at that time called Piggy, rushed at her owner with a wagging tail and a dragging belly. Gummy tied a rope around Piggy's neck, gently. It was time for their daily walk to help the pup shed some of those extra pounds. The walk required a route near an alley, which wasn't bad, as Gummy never met anyone dangerous there. But that all changed one that one day. A Soc, around 19, was hanging there, horny and looking for a good time. He was interested in Gummy, and dragged her into the alley, Piggy followed, concerned for her owner. And then came the worst part. Piggy watched as the Soc raped and then killed Gummy. All Piggy thought to do was stand there, like the fat little idiot she was at that time. And when Piggy did finally do, the Soc raced off, leaving the pup with a dead girl and an eternity of shame._

Half of Vandal's face was wet with a pool of her tears. How could she betray Gummy? How could she side with the Socs? How could she give into temptation? Vandal wouldn't accept any excuses she could make for herself. She'd leave. She had no worth there now. She was a traitor. No one would trust her anymore. Downtrodden, Vandal got up, and left the alley. But who did she happen to bump into on the way out? Mary!

"Vandal!" Mary said in surprise. "At last, you've returned to us!"

Vandal didn't reply at first, too depressed. Finally, she did speak.

"Call the others. I need to tell them….I'm leaving."


	10. Chapter 10

_**Final**_

The meeting was short and to the point. Vandal explained what had happened since the pound and made it clear that she was leaving town. She had betrayed the Curtis gang, and all of the other Greasers. She didn't deserve to be in charge anymore, or to be a Greaser. She left the Greaser Dogs under Mary's leadership. The Dogs didn't argue with her, but Mary begged her to reconsider. But Vandal's mind was already made up. She left in the dark of night, never to return...

She passed the Curtis house on her way out of town and gave it a sorrowful stare. She turned, and walked away from it. But she paused in the middle of the street. Maybe…no, she couldn't. Still… Vandal turned around. It probably wouldn't mean much, but an apology was the least she could do. She walked to the front door and scratched on it. A few seconds passed before the door opened, and there stood Dallas. He immediately drew his switchblade.

"Get back," he warned.

Vandal stepped back with a whimper. She didn't want to cause any more trouble. Vandal reared up lightly and pawed Dallas' chest. Dallas pushed her off, raising his switchblade in a threatening stance. But Vandal pushed past Dallas and went inside. The rest of the gang was there, surrounding Darry. As soon as they saw Vandal, they stood and surrounded Darry, ready to defend her.

"Vandal?" said Ponyboy.

Vandal wagged her tail rapidly, and came to him, but was blocked by Johnnycake and Sodapop. Vandal whimpered softly.

"Get her out of here," demanded Darry. "I don't want her hurting anyone."

"But I won't hurt anyone!" protested Vandal.

Johnnycake started to push her back outside. Vandal, giving up, licked his hand gently.

"I'm sorry…" she said gently.

Johnny, even though he didn't understand her, he still patted her head.

"Sorry, girl," he said." But, we aren't sure we can trust you yet."

"I…I know that," murmured Vandal. "But, I still want to make it up."

She pulled away from Johnny and went to the kitchen. She saw a fridge. From what she knew, cold things were stored there. She reached up to the freezer, and pawed it open. She scraped out some ice, pulled a paper towel from the counter, and collected the ice in it All the while, the gang watched her in awe. No dog could do that…well, no one except a genius like Vandal. Vandal brought out the bundle of ice, and set it on Darry's leg. Then she stepped back and bowed humbly. It was the best she could do.

"I think…she's trying to apologize," Ponyboy said.

Vandal nodded and rested her head on his leg. Darry sighed.

"An apology isn't gonna fix my ankle," he said. "She should just stay away from us for a while. I don't trust her right now."

"But Darry," Ponyboy said in Vandal's defense. "What about all the times she helped us? You're not gonna just turn her away because of that? She made a mistake. She wouldn't just willingly side with Socs unless she had a reason to."

"She's a dog, Pony," said Darry "She's not a human, and doesn't have human thoughts."

"You're wrong!" Ponyboy snapped standing and facing Darry.

Darry shot Ponyboy a dangerous look, and attempted to get to his feet. Sodapop stopped him and pulled him back down.

"You're ankle, Darry," said Sodapop.

Vandal backed away, regretting her decision to show up to the humans at all.

"Please…stop…"she said, walking in between the brothers. "This hurts me as much as this hurts you. I know you can't understand my words, but it's better than keeping silent. The guilt is tearing me apart."

A tear trickled down Vandal's cheek, and she walked to Darry. She laid her head in his lap and licked his face. Darry pushed her head down, but kept it in his lap. He stroked her head and sighed, breaking the awkward silence.

"Pony, you're right," he admitted. "Vandal has been helping us for a long time. I owe her so much for saving you. I'm just still on edge about what happened. I hope Vandal's still on our side."

"She is," Ponyboy said. "I know it."

Darry didn't reply, but continued to stroke Vandal's head gently. Vandal felt a bit of hope return to her. She wagged her tail, but then paused when she remembered that she was leaving. Sadly, she pulled away, and started to leave.

"Where you going, girl?" asked Ponyboy.

Vandal looked back at her friend, before walking off. She couldn't stay any longer. Even if they did forgive her, she was still a traitor. She walked back out of the open door, and sobbed herself to sleep in the bushes near-by. She had to be alert to cover a lot of ground. The sooner she was away from here, the better.

* * *

The next morning, Vandal woke up, and was on her way. She wouldn't look back for anything. She was no longer a Greaser, and she was no Soc. She was simply Vandal…no, not even that anymore. She was No-Name once again. No-Name traveled the sidewalks of what used to be her town, noticing Greaser cars driving towards Soc territory. Hmm, odd…No, that wasn't her business anymore. Still, she couldn't help but feel invested. On she went. But this time, she heard a voice. Dallas'. Afraid of being seen, No-Name dived into some bushes and hid. She heard Dallas walk by, talking to someone else.

"Hell yeah, I'm going," said Dallas. "Those damn Socs have taken it too far. They could've killed Johnnycake. I'm fighting them."

"_A fight?"_ thought No-Name. _"What are they talking about? Is it about the lot being burned up? I can see their anger."_

No-Name shook her head. She needed to mind her own business.

"A hell of a lot of Greasers are pissed," Dallas continued. "There's gonna be a bloodbath tonight."

Now, No-Name was very concerned. A war was brewing between the Socs and the Greasers. Of course Vandal—Wait, she wasn't Vandal anymore. She was no Greaser, and this wasn't her battle. Vandal waited until Dallas and his companion were gone, before she appeared from the bushes. Her paws, however, were stuck to the ground.

"_You're not really going to leave your comrades, are you?" _she thought to herself.

"I'm a traitor," said No-Name aloud. "Scum like me don't even deserve to live."

"_You were brave to stand up for your Cause in the temptations of the Socs,"_ she thought again. _"Although you gave in, you tried your hardest. Only a canine with great devotion and mental strength could do that."_

"But I…I…I still gave in," No-Name whimpered. "That was the one thing I pressured my comrades not to do."

"_Had you stayed defiant forever, you wouldn't even be here right now. Vandal, you meant to eat to survive. But you were corrupted by the luxuries of the Soc life. It blinded you from the treasures that only Greasers can feel: family. Your mistake makes you mortal. No one is perfect, not even the purest and noblest of creatures. You are a Greaser Dog, and have been one your whole life. You're not going to let one mistake make you deny who you are, are you?"_

No-Name stood still, considering her own thoughts. Finally, she shook her head.

"No," she said strongly. "I am a Greaser. I am Vandal. And I will help the humans repay the Socs for their cruelty."

* * *

The night came closer, and the Greaser Dogs returned from another day of patrolling. But it all felt so different without Vandal. They were so distraught and lost focus of the Cause so many times. But, oh, how they missed Vandal. The shed was full of depressed and weary dogs. Suddenly, the shed's door opened. This caught the dogs' attention. Wasn't everyone inside already? Who could still be out? The door opened all the way, and there stood Vandal, looking proudly at her comrades.

"Vandal!" Mary cried happily, rushing to her and licking her cheeks. "Oh, Vandal, we've missed you!"

"Once a Greaser, always a Greaser," replied Vandal. "I belong here. I have a duty to protect the humans."

"Hooray! "cheered little Benjamin. "Hooray for Ms. Vandal!"

Cheers raised from the Greaser Dogs in rejoice for their leader's return. Vandal felt a warm feeling in her heart, and she smiled gently. She felt home again. But she got serious again. Celebrating would have to wait.

"My friends," Vandal announced. "I have found out about something huge about to happen between the Greasers and the Socs. A war will occur tonight. We will attend this war, and repay the Socs for their crimes. We will make them pay for hurting our humans, for destroying our turf, and for making me doubt my worth as a Greaser. Dogs, we will show the Socs that we Greasers are family, and families are not to be messed with. Now who's with me!?"

There was a harmonious cheer in agreement that filled the shed. Vandal nodded.  
"Greaser Dogs, let's go!"

The fighting had already begun when the dogs showed up. Greasers had stormed into Soc territory, and started to take down the Socs one by one. The Socs called for backup and the war began from there.

"Everyone!" Vandal called above the noise. "Go to whoever seems to be in the most danger and help them out! Remember your training! Long live the Greasers!"

The dogs split up in the midst of the fighting humans. Vandal went by herself. She had a bone to pick with a certain someone…She found Bob a short while later, fighting Dallas. Bob had slashed Dallas' face with his switchblade, and Vandal's anger bubbled within her. Bob. He made her fight against her friends, and attacked the Greasers. He and those wretched Socs were the source of her years of pain. Not anymore. Vandal charged, and knocked him onto his stomach. With wicked claws, Vandal slashed Bob's head. Crying in pain and anger, Bob rolled onto his back and slashed at Vandal, catching her eye. Vandal screamed and staggered back. She shook her head, as droplets of blood hit the ground. But Vandal recovered quickly, and rushed at Bob. She scratched at his shirt, ripping it with her claws. She then dragged her claws down his chest, scarring him. Bob stabbed her wildly, but Vandal was so determined to beat him, that she hardly felt her wounds. She pinned him down and swiped his switchblade from his hand. Bob stared into Vandal's blazing orange eyes, completely scared and defenseless. Vandal glared at him, opening her jaws and preparing for a bite. Just then, red and blue flashing lights appeared in the corner of her eye. Someone called the cops! Lashing her tail in annoyance, Vandal realized that it wouldn't be smart to kill Bob. But, she could give him a wound so bad, he'd wish he was dead. Sneering at Bob, she lunged with a loud bark.

* * *

Summer was here, finally. School was out, and Vandal could spend more time with the Curtis gang. Darry had healed up, and everyone was content again. Vandal now had the luxury of hanging out with her favorites of the Curtis gang: Ponyboy and Johnnycake. Bob was still in the hospital. Vandal had beaten him so badly, that he was put in ICU. Vandal felt peace again, finally feeling redeemed from her past crime. She continued to guard the humans, along with the other Greaser Dogs. It was their duty, and they loved it. But none of them felt such pleasure of keeping her humans, her family safe, like Vandal did. And ever since her victory in the war, Vandal knew that she truly was The Defender.

_**Fin**_


End file.
